Internet Censorship in Somalia: Blocking websites is a threat to the free speech

Mogadishu: Somali authorities shut this week more than 30 websites critical to the Federal government, including Waagacusub Media.

A letter issued by the officials of the Ministry of post and Telecommunications with a list of regulations from different governmental institutions ordered to the closure of the independent websites.

The companies that provide internet services to the public was ordered to prevent access to websites critical of the Somali government "due to working against the interest of the government."

The statement which also gave a reference to the Ministry of security, the office of the ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and the Office of the Attorney General was ordered the companies "to block within 48 hours starting from the time that each company received it.

Speaking the work of the independent websites, the statement from the government referred to as "criminal acts" that some independent websites committed and should be imposed punishment for breaking the law."

Over the years, Somali citizens that use the Internet has been growing steadily in Somalia. "In 2000, internet users amounted to less than 1% [of the population], but the rate has gone up over the past couple of years until it reached around 2% in 2011, according to unofficial estimates,"